Federal Primer Packaging

[epj]

How come Federal packs their primers in such a large box? While I'm on the subject, why stack the primers on their sides? I recall 40 years back primers packed like that, but everyone else nowdays had them lying flat and mostly the same side up. Makes loading primer tubes a real PITA. I have always read and heard that one should avoid touching the primers, but it is almost unavoidable with the Federals. Is there some trick I'm missing?

 

[epj]

How come Federal packs their primers in such a large box? While I'm on the subject, why stack the primers on their sides? I recall 40 years back primers packed like that, but everyone else nowdays had them lying flat and mostly the same side up. Makes loading primer tubes a real PITA. I have always read and heard that one should avoid touching the primers, but it is almost unavoidable with the Federals. Is there some trick I'm missing?

 

[Rule3]

From what I was told when I called Lee, it is due to the primer compound used which is more sensitive then say CCI. DOT rules require more space between them to avoid detonation when shipping.

 

[s&wchad]

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0018791210620a.shtml

 

[H Richard]

If you are loading primer tubes, you need a primer "flip tray". They are made by RCBS, Hornady, nearly all reloading mfg.'s. The tray has little concentric rings in the base of one side, and you shake it and all the primers flip over. Then you put on the lid and flip it over and they are all lined up to fill the tubes. TAkes longer to tell about it than to do it.

 

[magnum12pm]

Originally posted by H Richard:
If you are loading primer tubes, you need a primer "flip tray". They are made by RCBS, Hornady, nearly all reloading mfg.'s. The tray has little concentric rings in the base of one side, and you shake it and all the primers flip over. Then you put on the lid and flip it over and they are all lined up to fill the tubes. TAkes longer to tell about it than to do it.

Took the words right out of my mouth! I was wondering why would a flip tray care how they are packaged

 

[Kevin G]

I was wondering why would a flip tray care how they are packaged

What I've found is that the primer packing tray that Fed uses is larger than my old style round RCBS flip tray can handle. Routine I've settled with is to dump the Fed primers into a 5" funnel while holding it over the flip tray. Can then get them oriented properly to use pick up tubes. Kevin

 

[Skip Sackett]

No one, I repeat, NO ONE, is better than improvisation like an American! Necessity, the mother of invention!

Way to go Kevin.

I have a Dillon primer flip tray and it is almost big enough to get the whole Federal primer tray into. I just put the packaging as close as possible as I can to the outside edge and gently pull the sleeve off of it. When I get to the end of the tray I pick up the packaging slide it so that more of it is over the tray and finish pulling off the sleeve.

I usually do this on a table so that dropped primers don't fall on the floor, although.........

Wolf primers come so when put in a flip tray they don't need flipped for putting in primer tubes, real handy!

 

[magnum12pm]

Originally posted by Kevin G:

I was wondering why would a flip tray care how they are packaged

What I've found is that the primer packing tray that Fed uses is larger than my old style round RCBS flip tray can handle. Routine I've settled with is to dump the Fed primers into a 5" funnel while holding it over the flip tray. Can then get them oriented properly to use pick up tubes. Kevin

I use the Dillon metal flip tray which fits the federal packing, I assumed

they all did, my BAD!

 

[Slinkster]

I use an older RCBS tray(smaller size), I've found it easist to dump half the package in the middle of the tray then rotate the package and dump the other half. You should not spill any.

 

[epj]

Maybe I'm missing something here. I have a Dillon metal flip tray. Works just great with CCI. WW, etc. Those primers come packaged flat, not standing up on their edge. I don't care if the primers are up or down in the box, or mixed for that matter, it's the one standing on edge that give a problem.

 

[PeterM]

These days, I'd just be glad to be able to get the primers when I needed them regardless of what they were packed in.

 

[epj]

Good point.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Remington's are on their sides as well but the packaging is even smaller than WW, CCI, Wolf or others packaged like them.


FWIW

 

[Mr. Tree]

And why when you use a primer flip tray is there always one primer that will not flip?

 

[epj]

I tried shaking the primer flip tray last night, as someone suggested in an earlier response. Indeed, SOME of the primers ended up either right-side-up or upside-down. Out of 100, approximately 40-50 remained on their edge, despite repeated shaking.

I remember the old Remington primers. Still have part of a box laying around. Haven't used them since the '70's, when I was loading 20 rounds at a time of rifle cartridges.

 

[M29since14]

Some time ago, I believe Federal had an incident in shipping, probably more the fault of our brown-shirted friends than theirs, but following that, their primers were packaged in the bigger containers. This is a big drawback when you are trying to store them in metal .50-caliber cans (my normal practice). I do not know of better primers than Federal 100s and 150s, so I put up with the nonsense, but wish they were packaged like Remingtons. I do buy Remingtons too, so appreciate the fact that Remington has not followed Federal's lead.

 

[DCC]

I've often pondered over those big Federal boxes too...
but I must be getting lucky in my old age...
just bought, from tiny gun shop in Radstock, 1000 S/P and 1000 L/P Federals for use in my Heritage Pistols and Taurus LBRs...
and I live in Somerset County, UK

DCC

 

[Amici]

I used CCI for years; not just because it makes quality products, but because of the relatively "green" packaging. Simply put, CCI had the smallest plastic tray. The downside was that a primer flip tray was a must and it took a lot of panning to get them upright.

I now use Winchester primers. They ALL face up, so it is a simple matter to invert them for feeding into the primer tube. The tray is not too large, even for my old Lyman primer flipper.

 

[Noah Zark]

I don't follow the "shaking" and "panning" comments.

When I use a flip tray, I just dump the primers on the tray and let them fall how they may, knocking over those on edge -- again, it doesn't matter which way they fall. Then, taking a primer tube I pick up only those primers that are "cup up", then after that I put the lid on the flip tray, flip it over, and pick up the remaining primers which are all now "cup up."

Takes longer to tell it than to do it.

If there's "shaking" and "panning" going on, I don't see why.

Noah